Fence-stretcher.



R. E. L. FREESE.

FENCE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1916.

1,224,$27@ I Patented May 1, 1917.

Mr NORRIS PEYENS co Prmru unm, vusnuvn rON. n c.

ROBERT E. LEE FREESE, 0F FAYETTE, MISSOURI.

FENCE-STBETCI-IER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. Lnn FREESE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fayette, in the county of Howard, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Fence-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a stretcher adapted to be used for tightening a wire fence, and one object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the stretcher may be held on a fence post during the stretching operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for tightening the fence.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the descriptlon pro ceeds, the invention resides in the comb1nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings 2- Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a fence stretcher embodying the present invention, the same being mounted in place on a fence ost- Fig. 2 is a top plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1, but on a slightly larger scale, parts being broken away; and.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the stretcher, detached from its supporting post, parts be ing broken away.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 1 indicates a suitable support, preferably a fence post. The numeral 2 designates a wire fence to one end of which is detachably connected a clamp 3. A pulley block 1 is pivoted as shown at 5 to the clamp 3.

The stretcher herein disclosed includes a body 6 in the form'of a bar having a laterally projecting eye 7 at one end and equipped at its other end with a laterally projecting eye 8. Projecting from the eye 7 are ears 9 with which are connected braces 10. The braces 10 may be lengths of wire or cable and the rear ends of the braces 10 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 12, 1916. Serial No. 90,769.

are secured as shown at 8' to the post 1 near to the top and the bottom of the post. Formed integrally with the rear end of the bar or body 6 of the stretcher is a laterally projecting U-shaped socket 12 including an end bar 14, an end bar 15 prolonged to form a jaw 16, a side bar 17 connecting the bars 14 and 15, and a reinforcement 18 connecting the bars lt and 15 the reinforcement 18 being spaced inwardly from the side bar 17 The end bar 14C may be equipped with a notch 14. The end bar 14; is connected with the body 6 by means of an integral bracing web 19. The jaw 16 carries a clamping means of any desired sort, adapted to engage the fence post 1. In the present instance, this clamping means includes a screw 20 threaded into the jaw 16 and provided with a handle 21. whereby the screw may be rotated.

Mounted to slide for adjustment in the eyes 8 and 9 is a grip bar 22 equipped at its rear end with a shoe 23 carrying prongs 24: or other suitable elements adapted' to coact with one side of the fence post 1. The eye 8 is supplied with upstanding ears 25 in which is pivotally mounted a lever 26 provided with a cam 27 or other suitable means which, coacting with the grip bar 22, serves to hold the grip bar in adjusted positions. In the forward end of the grip bar 22 there is fashioned a vertical notch 28, the outer end of which is closed by a U-shaped frame 29 secured to the end of the grip bar. Extending across the notch 28 is a pin' 30 held in place by the sid portions of the frame 29. An axle 31 extends across the notch 28, the ends of the axle being mounted in the grip bar 22 and in the side portions of the U-shaped frame 29. A sheave in the notch 28 and is journaled for rotation on the axle 31. j

The numeral 33 denotes a main shaft journaled in the side bar 17 and in the reinforcing bar 18. A drum 34. is secured to the main shaft 33 and lies between the bars 17 and 18. The ratchet wheel 35 is fastened to the main shaft 33 exteriorly of the bar-17. A pawl 36 is pivoted on the bar 17 and coacts with the ratchet wheel 35, the pawl 36 being held yieldingly engaged with the ratchet wheel 35 by means of a spring 38 mounted on the outer face of the bar 17. Secured to the end of the shaft 33 and located exteriorly of the bar 17 is a gear wheel 39 meshing 1nto a pinion 40 fixed to 32 is located a shaft 41 journaled in the bars 17 and 18. A crank 42 is removably seated on the end of the shaft 41 and constitutes a means whereby the shaft may be rotated.

The numeral 43 denotes a flexible element, one end of which is secured to the cross pin 30 which is carried by the grip bar 22. From the cross pin 30, the flexible element 40 is extended around the pulley block 4 and thence is extended around the sheave 32, ing through the notch 44 in the bar 14 and having its ends secured to the drum 34.

In practical operation, the grip bar 22 is slid in the eyes 8 and 9 until the prongs 24 or their equivalents bear against one side of the post 1, the lever 26 being manipulated to engage the grip bar 22 and to hold the same in place. The screw 20 may be rotated by means of the handle 21, and then, as will be understood clearly from Fig. 2, the body portion 6 of the stretcher will be held securely on the post 1.

The shaft 41 may be rotated by means of the crank 42, and rotation will be transmitted to the shaft 33 by way of the pinion 40 and the gear wheel 39. The flexible element 43 thus will be reeled onto the drum 34, a reverse rotation of the drum being prevented by the coaction between the pawl 36 and the ratchet wheel 35. l/Vhen the flexible element 43 is reeled onto the drum 34, the flexible element passes over the sheave 32 and draws the pulley block 4 along with the fence clamp 3 and the fence 2 forwardly, thus tightening up the fence. It is to be observed, at this point, that when the flexible element 43 is tightened up, the flexible element tends to seat the prongs 24 or their equivalents more firmly in the post 1.

The post 1 may be one of the posts which supports the fence 2 ultimately, and, noting Fig. 2, it will be seen that the fence 2, having been tightened, will be nailed or stapled directly to the post 1. It is unnecessary, therefore, to provide a separate support for the wire stretcher herein disclosed. The stretcher may be used, as will be obvious, to great advantage in handling the fence 2 at a corner post.

Having thus described What is claimed is 1. In a fence stretcher, a body having a laterally offset bracket terminating in a transverse jaw; a grip bar slidable longitudinally for adjustment in the body and disposed substantially at right angles to the jaw the inner end of the grip bar coacting with the jaw to form a post engaging means; a tightening mechanism carried by the laterthe invention,

the flexible element 43 passally offset bracket and including a drum; a sheave journaled on the outer end of the grip bar; a fence holding means; a flexible element looped around the sheave, one end of the flexible element being connected with the drum; and mechanism for connecting the flexible element with the fence holding means.

2. In a fence stretcher, a body provided with an eye projecting laterally in one direction, and provided at its rear end with an offset bracket projecting laterally in an opposite direction, the bracket terminating in a transverse jaw; a grip bar slidable longitudinally for adjustment in the body and disposed substantially at right angles to the jaw; a movable element mounted in theij aw and coacting with the inner end of the grip bar to form a post engaging means; a holding member carried by the eye and cooperating with the grip bar to prevent sliding movement of the grip bar independently of the body; a tightening mechanism carried by the laterally offset bracket and including a drum; a sheave journaled in the outer end of the grip bar; a fence holding means; a flexible element looped around the sheave, one end of the flexible element being connected with the drum; and mechanism for operatively connecting the flexible element with the fence holding means.

3. In a device of the class described, a

body having a laterally offset bracket terminating in a transverse jaw; agrip bar slidable longitudinally for adjustment in the body, the grip bar being disposed substantially at right angles to the aw; a movable element carried by the jaw, the inner end of the grip bar coacting with said movable element to form post-engaging means; a movable clamping device carried by the body and coacting with the grip bar to hold the same against longitudinal movement; a sheave j ournalecl in the outer end of the grip bar; a fence holding means; a tightening mechanism carried by the laterally oflset bracket; a flexible element looped around the sheave, one end of the flexible element being connected with the tightening mechanism; and means for operatively connecting the flexible element with the fence holding means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT E. LEE FREESE.

Witnesses:

- L. A. KINGSBURY; HOWARD M. RAWLINS.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Wuhington, I). C. 

